Community LEA gears up for Big Night; contradancing at DAC; Night of Poetry at RVC Page 7A, 10A
Just recognition
Inside News
Students receive Lake Pride t-shirts; LRVC shines at Skills USA competition
Calendar . . . . . . . . . 10A
Page 1B
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 8B Country Living . . 7A-12A Directory . . . . . . . . . . 7B Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 6A Opinions . . . . . 10B-12B Police/Court . . . . . 4A-5A Sports . . . . . . . . . 4B-6B Student News . . . 1B-3B Games . . . . . . . . . . . 11B
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 149, No. 11
24 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
March 15, 2018
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 9B
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Surpise! Mother Nature dumps 18+ on Region
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer The second Nor’easter of March impacted the region by altering people’s plans and elongating winter with close to 20 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. No matter how big the storm, people in the community march on with what needs to get done, including driving to and from work or getting rid of the snow accumulation on roads and parking lots. On Tuesday, schools throughout Maine were cancelled, municipal meetings were postponed, town halls were closed, and most events were delayed until another less snowy day. On Wednesday, schools cancellations continued for a second day while many town halls waited until noon to open their doors to the public. The snowstorm — which was predicted well in advance — started around midmorning on Tuesday with snow more akin to lightweight ice. By the late night hours,
the storm had become stationary — pausing above an area that encompassed Northern Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, and producing snow at a pace of one to three inches per hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Someone on social media shared a measurement of 18½ inches of snow in Bridgton before midnight on Tuesday. The measurement appeared on the National Weather Service (NWS) website. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, an employee with NWS had taken a measurement of 17½ inches in Otisfield. While some families were able to hunker down in their homes, there were those people who had places to be: convenience stores, grocery stores, hardware stores. Other Mainers were truly out in the thick of it, driving plow trucks or emergency vehicles. Food City Manager Kirsten Wears said the Bridgton-based grocery store closed during STORM, Page 4A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES – This town’s selectmen needed more time to research the options and solicit public opinion regarding a state law that involves past-due tax bills. A Maine State Law mandates that when a resident pays his or her tax bill, the money must first go toward unpaid personal property taxes. Personal property tax, also known as business equipment tax, is separate from the real-estate property tax. The Naples Board of Selectmen on Monday voiced a variety of opinions on this law – which, if adopted – would give the overdue personal property tax bill first dibs when it comes to any money paid toward tax debts. It was a topic that drew comments from the crowd as well. Ultimately, the personal property tax law was tabled – to be on a future agenda.
Selectman Rich Cebra was against the town adopting that policy because it would take away citizens’ freedom to decide which bill to pay first. Chairman Jim Grattelo favored an enforceable mechanism that would ensure those few citizens don’t slack on their personal property tax bill, especially ones that have been on the books for a number of years. Meanwhile, Selectman Bob Caron II said that the recent business equipment assessment and more public awareness of the personal property tax have brought about some payments. Caron favored continuing in this way rather than adopting the state law. Naples Town Manager John Hawley said the practice was commonplace in Mechanic Falls and predated his arrival as town manager there more than 10 years ago. “It was just understood. People weren’t TAX LAW, Page 5A
Tax law draws strong opinions, emotions
CONGRATS ON 80TH ANNIVERSARY — Shawnee Peak ski area, Maine’s longestrunning ski mountain, was honored Saturday to receive recognition by United States Senator Susan Collins to commemorate its 80th anniversary. On Jan. 11, 2018, Senator Collins recognized Shawnee Peak’s milestone in the Congressional Record, which is the official and permanent record of the United States Congress. Shawnee Peak owner Chet Homer (pictured) said, “I am humbled by this special honor from Senator Collins and look forward to many years of continued stewardship of Shawnee Peak and helping to support and grow the local economy. This week’s snowstorm, plus the expected upcoming one, puts Shawnee Peak in an excellent position for our guests to experience some incredible snow conditions in March, a fantastic way to culminate our 80th season.”
302 work could improve pedestrian safety By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — It is an area with continuous vehicular traffic — some of the traffic is driving on through along Route 302, other vehicles are pulling in and out of the shopping center that houses a Subway, a Rite Aid and the Umbrella Factory store (often referred
to as “Tony’s Foodland.”) There’s a bank nearby. The road that intersects with Route 302 is Route 35, bringing people onto 302 from residential areas or from connecting towns like Harrison and Otisfield. Traffic from the shopping center often enters or exits on the Route 35 side.
In a nutshell, it is a busy area. At times, the traffic can be congested and chaotic. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic, too — from people walking to cars, to people crossing the road to get to other businesses, or access the Causeway. During the summer, as the number of vehicles and people on foot
increases exponentially, the problems compound. It is no wonder selectmen have always expressed concerns about having better crosswalks and better traffic indicators in that area of town. In addition to those public safety issues, the traffic signal setup doesn’t always
Reflections with small-town doc Dr. Gene Royer
By Rachel Andrews Damon Special to The News FRYEBURG — When Dr. Gene Royer and his wife, Vicki, arrived in Fryeburg in the mid-80s to visit college friend and Fryeburg physician, Dr. Reuben Bell, they fell in love with the area. The two physicians had been classmates in medical school. Dr. Bell had been president of his class and Dr. Royer was vice president at Oklahoma’s College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Tulsa. “We really loved the area and were ready for a change. Reuben needed help and so the trip was meant to be,” Dr. Royer said. Gene Royer had been a great student and athlete back in high school in Indiana. He went on to attend Purdue University, where he met fellow student, Vicki Berger, the woman who would become the true love of his life. Vicki says, “Gene had a beard and a motorcycle and that did not go over well with my parents.” Gene adds, “Much to their dismay we got married anyway. We knew it was going to work.” As students, they were married in September of 1971 less than a year after meeting. Gene was majoring in psychology and civil engineering and at the same time held jobs at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Purdue’s Aerospace Library. After graduation, he took a job as a technical writer for the company Holiday Rambler based in Indiana. “I liked it and they were great to me but I had always wanted to become a physician and that dream was becoming clearer. I hadn’t thought it possible because we were not STILL SEEING PATIENTS — At the age of 68, Dr. wealthy people and I really didn’t have the time for leav- Gene Royer is still practicing medicine at Sacopee REFLECTIONS, Page 12A Valley Health Center.
operate right. In the past, it has been nonfunctioning for up to a week. The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) has budgeted and approved the replacement of the traffic signal and safety improvements to the Route 302/Route 35 intersection. MDOT is paying half the bill, too. On Monday, the Naples Board of Selectmen officially accepted the state’s half of the costs and transferred $30,000 from the town highway account to pay for the town’s share. The total cost of the
project is estimated at $60,000, according to Naples Chairman Jim Grattelo. “Basically, it’s a $60,000 project. MDOT does $30,000 and town does $30,000. It comes out of our highway” account, Grattelo said. The unanimous vote was to authorize the town manager to sign the agreement with MDOT, and that will go forward. Selectman Rich Cebra, in his capacity as state representative, sat down last year with MDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt and discussed how the Naples intersection could PEDESTRIAN, Page 12A
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Since the last week of February, many town roads in the region have been posted, which is standard practice in Maine. Like the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), the municipalities are allowed to impose weight restrictions on roads during a thaw-freeze cycle. The posts protect roads from damage by commercial vehicles,
tractor-trailers and heavy equipment. Emergency vehicles are exempt to the weight limit rules. The Town of Bridgton sets a maximum weight limit of 23,000 pounds, or 11½ tons. In the Town of Naples, the weight limit signs were up and drivers of heavy vehicles apparently respected them. Little did anyone know the road postings did not carry any weight? POSTINGS, Page 5A
Road postings now carry weight
The Bridgton News Established 1870
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com